The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1887-08-21
TRAGIC DEATH
OF D. j. Quill, Once Contractor on
the +. NJ. & p.

Fairmont West Nirsnian.
Our citizens generally we're great
~ shocked on Saturday last at the
reception of the information by tele-
graph of the death at Sewell Depot,
Fayette county, of ID. J. Quill, a well
known citizen of this place, and later
the feeling of sorrow and regret was
intensified by reception of the addi
tional information that Mr. Quill
had committed suicide The news
was broken as gently as possible to
his wife, and a telegram was sent
directing that the remains be for
warded to this point at once. BY
reason Of several delays en- route.
and on account Of the necessity of
coming via Washington, d. c., the
easket did not arrive here until Mon
day evening, at 1920 o'clock, being
in charge of Mr.. j. E. Hughart. a
committee from Lafayette Lodge
No. 81, A., F. and A. NJ, of Fayette-
vile, and Mr.. James Rannie, of this
place.
AS might be expected, there hav-
ing been no opportunity to have the
body embalmed, decomposition was
very much advanced by the time the
remains reached here, and it was
urged that immediate interment
take place, but at the importunate
solicitation of the grief-stricken,
heart broken widow, the body was
taken to her home on Barney street
where she desired to keep it until
next morning. Subsequently, bet
ter counsel prevailed, and at IL
O'Clock at night funeral services were
held in the open air at the family
residence by the Rev. j. B. Reed, of
the Presby terrain church, a large and
sympathetic audience attending, and
later the remains were taken in
charge by Fairmont Lodge Nc. 8,
A., f. and A. NJ, and the solemn
midnight march to Woodlawn Gem
etery succeeded. Arriving there. the
body was buried in the honors of
Masonry. at precisely II o'clock
Glow twelve), with the stars as mute
witnesses and the attendant throng
awed to unusual stiffness by the
great solemnitv Of the occasion.
An escort from Crusade Comman-
derry No. 6, X. T. (of which deceased
was member), went to the depot
Monday evening and accompanied
the remains to the family residence,
and afterwards attended the hearse
to the cemetery
1t is not believed (and with some
reason) by some of our citizens that
Mr. Quill committed suicide The
circumstances attending the unhap-
| Ply event are about as follows, ae-
cording to our best information: On
Saturday morning last, just after
breakfast. Mr. Quill went to the pro
prietor of his hotel with whom he
had boarded for number of months
and notified him that as Mrs. Quill
and their little boy Ian adopted son
were likely to visit him soon he de
sired to be given a larger room
This arrangement was satisfactorily
accomplished, and Mr.. Quill issued
his orders for the day to his fore
men, and also instruced his clerk as
to some business matters, and then
complaining of not feeling well, he
went to his room. A friend of his
soon afterwards visited him in his
room, talked with him for awhile
and received some verbal instruc
tions for Mr.. Quilts clerk, then left
him. While this friend was in his
; room Mr.. Quill removed his slippers
and it is presumed that immediate
~ after the departure Of the caller
he also removed his coat and lai(
down on his bed. Within very
. brief time thereafter the report of {
revolver was heard A hurried in
. vestigation was made as to The
cause, and when the proprietor o
, the house reached Mr.. Quilts room
he was Mortified to find him lying
dead on his bed. There was bul
, let wound in the right temple, ant
his revolver was still in his HAND
, and resting on his right shoulder
the end of the barrel being stained
with the flowing blood The theory
of those who do not believe that Mr.
Quill committed suicide is thai
when he attempted to lie down ht
, found the revolver in his way in his
bip-pocket, and that to avoid the en-
cumbrance while reclining he was il
, the act of removing the weapon
from his pocket when it was acct
dentally discharged. There was
nobody present to decide the point
of course. The coroner's inquest
subsequently held decided that The
deceased had come to his death by
pistol-shot wound inflicted by his
own hand
Mr.. Quill was an Englishman, anC
. his wife native of Scotland
Neither has relative in the United
! States, with the single exception o
a half brother of Mrs. Quill, who re
sides near Syracuse, N. Y. Mr.
Quilts business was that of a con
tractor in stonework, and he was en-
gagged upon contract for one hun
: dred and fifty coke ovens when hil
, untimely death occurred. Besides
we learn he had secured another ad
! vantageous contract about two day.
prior to the sad event. So far al
known Mr.. Quilts business affair
: were in good shape, and his future
prospects bright, and it hardl!
seems probable that a man so situa
ted would commit suicide, though
he may have done so. He was SUI
fering from the effects of an injur,
to his head, sustained about tw,
years ago, and from this irritating
cause he was sometimes moved t,
act strangely. 1t is known that hi
: head had been troubling him yer,
! much of late, and it is possible thi
: trouble resulted in temporary aber
ration of mind.
! ! Much sympathy is expressed 70
the distressed widow, whose grie
and despair cannot be described.
Mrs. Quill would have visited he
husband this week.
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